Gear Locker: Aquabound’s AMT Carbon Paddle

December 2003 - January 2004

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Alex Matthews
Photos by Rochelle Relyea

Aquabound AMT Expedition Paddle Weight: the 230cm paddle weighs 33 oz Carbon, 37 oz Fiberglass Sizing Range: 210 cm to 250 cm at increments of 10 cm Format: 1-piece, 2-piece, 4-piece Blade Angle: adjustable to 60 degrees right or left, and unfeathered Blade Size: 6.25” x 20” Pricing: 2 piece carbon shaft: $250 2 piece fiberglass shaft: $190 2 piece aluminum shaft: $145 (Canadian Suggested Retail) Contact: sales@aquabound.com Web: www.aquabound.com

This issue marks the start of Alex’s regular gear review column. Next issue he looks at a Kokatat drysuit. You can reach Alex at matthewsalex@hotmail.com.

For this issue of the magazine focusing on paddling partners, I tried to think about who or what my most constant companion on the water has been. People come and go depending on schedules. Clothing is temperature and condition dependent. Heck, I’ll even take off my PFD for warm weather fitness sessions on sheltered waters. But one item that I hold hands with on every excursion is a paddle.

Aquabound is a Canadian company located in Surrey, BC. Over the past decade or so they have quietly developed an excellent range of paddles and come to be a very important player in the paddlesports marketplace. Part of their success is due to their topnotch customer service and dedication to filling orders promptly. They excel at shipping product quickly, regardless of the size or makeup of the order.

The Expedition is their most popular touring design. Like all Aquabound touring paddles, the Expedition is available in either AMT Carbon or AMT Glass. AMT stands for ‘Advanced Moulding Technology’. The blades of these paddles are a gas-assisted injection moulded material called polythalamide. This thermo-plastic is reinforced with fiberglass fibres for the AMT Glass, and carbon fibers for the AMT Carbon. Carbon AMTs are assembled with carbon fiber shafting while AMT Glass paddles get aluminum or glass shafts depending on price. The ferrule, which connects the two halves of the paddle in the middle, is an injected molded reinforced nylon material. This serves to minimize tolerance problems and insure a good snug fit between the two paddle halves. Grooves on the ferrule help to prevent the buildup of sand and muck in this critical area.

Alex Matthews testing AquaBound’s AMT carbon paddle.

The AMT Carbon blade is pretty light and stiff, although not as ‘feather’ light and super stiff as a top quality paddle of conventional composite carbon construction. But AMTs are unbelievably tough. I once inadvertently drove over the blade of an Aquabound paddle in my van. There wasn’t a mark on the thing! This sort of durability has made the Aquabound an absolute favorite with rental operations and touring outfits.

The Expedition is a dihedral-shaped blade measuring 6.25” x 20”. As a fairly long and narrow blade, the Expedition is clearly designed for general touring. The blade is quiet and well behaved in the water, transitioning from one stroke to the next nicely. The blade enters the water cleanly and the power on the catch is about what you would expect from a general touring paddle. It’s possible to overpower the blade, but when driving a loaded boat forward for mile after mile, the forgiving nature of the Expedition is very appealing and appropriate for touring. While bracing, sculling or rolling, there is plenty of support. The shaft is only slightly oval in shape where the hand rests, and some paddlers may wish to add a fingerboard in order to increase indexing to more clearly orient their grip. There are definitely lighter and stiffer paddles on the market, and many are twice the price of the Expedition. They won’t offer the absolute bombproof durability found in the Aquabound but they will have a lower swing weight and exhibit no flex in the blades at all. If you are on a budget or are really hard on gear, an Aquabound paddle should be at the top of your list to demo. It is a very competent touring paddle with bulletproof construction at an attractive price. Within the context of mid-priced kayak paddles, this stick is awfully good and you may find it very hard to justify paying more. I highly recommend it.

© Alex Matthews has worked as a sea kayak guide, safety-boated on river trips, managed an outdoor store, shaped boats, and been marketing manager for a major kayak manufacturer.